Yes, Tenacious seems to fit

[MichaelScott]

I feel I have amply rewarded my tenacity today by driving my wife to Denver for her medical appointment in the aftermath of yesterday's blizzard. One example of how bad it was in some areas was the full size Colorado Department of Transportation snow plow off the road and stuck in a snowdrift. But we hung in there and made it there and back home. A fourteen hour day. Waiting for me in the PO box from eBay seller bladeswelove was…


What's your Tenacious story?

[farnorthdan]

A knife well deserved Michael, good job sir. :)

[BostonTom]

Nice looking color combo. I started looking at and bought a couple knives (other brands) several years ago. I had never heard of Spyderco or most other brands. Noticed the Tenacious in a store chest. It looked cool. I handled it and knew there was something special. That led to another PE Tenacious in blk/blk. Which turned into many more Spydercos..Not really a story..Good Luck with the knife.
Thank You for this forum. Nobody in my life really understands knives. Even counting a dozen or so cops. One is sort of a BM fan. The others pretty much clueless.
Most everyone just thinks a larger, heavy knife with a cool looking blade means a better knife.
Tom


Tom

[abbazaba]

Realized a similarly a while back...

[MichaelScott]

As I posted on this forum last year, Spyderco is an unusual company in that they have incorporated some fundamental human values into their philosophy and how they do business. I have more than passing familiarity with successful companies and how they work having been in the IT and business areas for many years, retiring from IBM after fifteen years with them working constantly and directly with customers. Most companies have "mission statements" and the like, but they are mostly lip service. Spyderco is, I think, different in that regard. On the wall at SFO are three statements about the company. This is one:



I would like to offer my personal observation on how this works. The Tenacious, and its siblings, are very high quality, functional and well built knives that are priced well within the reach of most people. To the knowledgeable knife afficianado they are shockingly inexpensive for what they are. I suspect that many, if not most, buyers of the Tenacious and siblings don't fully understand this, and many of us in total do not fully appreciate it.

The Tenacious et. al. could command a much higher price than asked, and set, by Spyderco. Why not, then, make more money with the same expenditure to produce them? I think it is because Spyderco wants to produce, among the more exotic and costly offerings, the best user knives possible for the lowest price consistent with their quality standards. More of us then, who understand and appreciate Spyderco knives but can't afford many of the higher priced models will have models and styles that we can buy, use and appreciate. For example, I'm a veteran, retired, cancer survivor and living on a small fixed income. I enjoy "virtual" collecting Spydercos and the forum community that keeps me in touch and informed. I've had a few Classic Spydercos like the PM2, Native, etc., enjoyed them but had to move them on. Being able to get the occasional "value" Spyderco is only possible because of their committment to quality and to their customers.

"...the betterment of everyone on our business chain...Recognizing that good fortune must be shared to be effective."

So, when I use my new Tenacious I think about Sal and the gang's committment to their philosophy and standards and appreciate their tenacity to keeping that vision true.

As someone once told me: "Make it a good day."

[Evil D]

Realized a similarly a while back...

That pic says it all. I really wish they would make this entire line of knives in a better steel. I've come to really appreciate designs that allow an equal amount of edge as there is actual blade length, and do so while still allowing the index finger to be safely close to that edge. This entire line of knives knock that idea out of the park, but they could really benefit from better F&F and better steel. They're a great bargain, but the steel junkie in me just isn't happy with that steel for EDC.

[abbazaba]

Realized a similarly a while back...

That pic says it all. I really wish they would make this entire line of knives in a better steel. I've come to really appreciate designs that allow an equal amount of edge as there is actual blade length, and do so while still allowing the index finger to be safely close to that edge. This entire line of knives knock that idea out of the park, but they could really benefit from better F&F and better steel. They're a great bargain, but the steel junkie in me just isn't happy with that steel for EDC.

You just verbalized what I was thinking. There are a lot of opinions about upgraded materials in the Tenacious line, but I feel exactly the way you just said so very well.

[anagarika]

Michael,

Thank you for sharing! Someone over BF also just recently found his ideal EDC in the form of a Resilience. I started low, so I bought the Resilience then. His post & yours rekindled old flame and a good thing to remember:spyder:

I have since moved to middle range, mostly liking lockbacks, so Endura it is.

All is good, enjoy!

Abbazaba,

I thought Tenacious is more a Para 2 equivalent? So all three are in same class. Nice!

[zhyla]

I don't think the Tenacious at ~$35 is really that unique. Other companies (Boker and CRKT come to mind) produce very well designed and similar quality knives out of China these days with the same steel. In some cases cheaper too, but at that price point I think it's kind of a wash. And those companies have dozens of models at that price point.

I'd really like to see Spyderco go all out with Chinese production. Today they take a collaboration design from somebody, runs it thru Taiwan or Seki, and offer it up for $200, $300, $400. And I'm sure it's amazing, but few will ever touch one. Boker would put that same knife out at $90 -- lesser materials and quality, but you'd buy it.

I like that they make stuff in Japan and Golden. The workhorses should stay there. But when I'm on the can flipping the Spyderco catalogue for things I don't need, it would be nice to have some knives that I would carry without worrying about losing $300 of knife.

[Evil D]

I don't think the Tenacious at ~$35 is really that unique. Other companies (Boker and CRKT come to mind) produce very well designed and similar quality knives out of China these days with the same steel. In some cases cheaper too, but at that price point I think it's kind of a wash. And those companies have dozens of models at that price point.

What you're missing is not the price of the knife, but the company who makes it. By comparison, lots of car companies make ~$60k sports cars, but the day Ferrari come out with one, everyone is going to flip out because they can finally afford a Ferrari. There are no doubt people out there who want to own a Spyderco knife but can only afford a Tenacious. Just like the car analogy, it doesn't matter how many BMW's there are at that price point, because now that person can finally own a Ferrari like they've always wanted.

But, I get what you're saying. There are a lot of really nice knives out there for less than $50. Kershaw have a lot of great inexpensive options in that price range and they're a great company.

[zhyla]

When did Spyderco become the Ferrari of knives??? Yikes! :)

[farnorthdan]

When did Spyderco become the Ferrari of knives??? Yikes! :)

Hey...Spyderco makes knifes in Italy, ya never know... :D

[Evil D]

When did Spyderco become the Ferrari of knives??? Yikes! :)

Lol when did analogies get so literal

The point was, just because Kershaw and others offer knives at similar price points doesn't mean anything except having options. If a person on a budget wants a Spyderco, that's what these knives exist for.

[curlyhairedboy]

I recently got to handle a tenacious in person and I LOVE the ergonomics. the steel isn't ideal, but I wouldn't mind paying around 120 bucks for it in a N690Co/S35VN/CTS-XHP..

****, I'd pay double for it in VG10.